Distant-control-switch socket fob electbic lights



J. M. DAVIS.

DISTANT GONTR OL 'SWIICH SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS, 4w- APPLICATIONFILED IUNEB. I917.

1,303,464. PatentedMay 13,1919.

WITNESSES- ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MATTISON DAVIS, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS.

DISTANT-CONTROL-SWITCH SOCKET FOB ELECTRIC LIGHTS, 860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Distant Control Switch Socket for ElectricLights, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to sockets for electric lights and otherelectric apparatus, and its object is to provide a socket structurewhich may be used in the ordinary manner of an electric light socket, orwhich may be controlled by a distant switch having circuit terminalsintroducible into or removable from the socket, at will.

The invention comprises a socket suchas is customarily employed forelectric lights and other purposes and through which current will flowto a translating device in the same manner as is customary in theelectric sockets of either the key or the keyless type, and, inaccordance with the invention, the socket is modified in such mannerthat the continuity of the circuit through the socket may be broken andthe circuit div'erted to a distanct switch by which the current may becontrolled to energize a translating device carried by or connected tothe socket.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with theunderstanding that while the drawing shows a practical form of theinvention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with theshowing of the drawing, but may be changed and modified, so long as suchchanges and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation, with parts in section, showinga form of socket and a distant controlling switch with a plugconnection'whereby the switch 'may be coupled. up

to or uncoupled from thesocket.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a somewhat differenttype of socket with the switch connecting plug inserted into the socket,the switch bein omitted.

Referring to the drawings, t ere is shown a socket 1 which may,asindicated at Fig. 1, be of that type having a screw plug 2 as apermanent part of one end and a receptacle 3 as a permanent part of theother end. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1917. Serial No. 173,612.

Patented May 13, 1919.

receptacle 3 may be considered as of the ordinary screw type and in theparticular showing of Fig. 1 has an attachment plug 4 applied thereto,from which plug there leads a conducting cord 5, which may be.

assumed to lead to a translating device, not shown.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a socket 1 with a receptacle 3 at one end and acap 6 at the other end, through which cap there issues a cord 7 assumedto be connected to any suitand others of like character, have internalconductors whereby the circuit through them may be continuous, exceptthat in the case of key or chain sockets suitable electric switchingmechanism is provided within the socket.

' In accordance with the invention one branch of the circuit within thesocket is provided with terminals 9, 10, respectively, entering a cavityor chamber 11 formed in a body member 12 within the socket orreceptacle, which body member is ordinarily made of porcelain. Withinthe chamber 11 are opposed spring fingers 13, 14:, respectively, fast torespective terminals 9 and 10 and securely held thereby. In theparticular arrangement shown each finger 13 and 14 is bent upon it self,with one leg fast to a terminal 9 or 10, as the case may be, and theother leg opposed and adjacent to the corresponding return leg of theother spring finger. The opposed legs are of a length to enter a recess15 at one end of the chamber 11 and are protected from accidental access.by the walls of the body member 12.

The free ends of the fingers 13 and 11 have a normal tendency toapproach into firm contact andunder such conditions complete theparticular branch of the circuit, within the socket, in which saidfingers are included.

material, and spring fingers 19 on opposite That end of the chamber 11remote from the mal tendency to separate, for a short distance, from thecore 18, so that when the plug is introduced into the chamber 11 throughthe mouth 16 thereof the fingers 19 engage the fingers 13 and l land arepressed arrested by the tapered core member 18, and the fingers 13 and14 are moved, in opposition to their normal tendency, until the endswithin the recess 15 are separated out of electrical contact with eachother. The plug 17 is carried by a manipulating member 20, which may bein the form of a sleeve of insulating material with a screw collar 21 atone end engaging a flange 22 on the plug 17 and clamping the latter inthe manipulating member 20. Binding screws 23 are located on the plug insuch position as to be within the manipulating member when the sleeve 21is in position to clamp the flange 22 against the corresponding end ofsaid manipulating member. The screws 23 are designed to secure the endsof conductors included in a conducting cord 24 which, at the end remotefrom the manipulating member 20, is suitably connected up to a switch 25shown in Fig. 1 as of a familiar type of push-through switch.

Either socket shown in the drawings may be employed for feeding electrictranslating devices at any desired distance therefrom, as by theconducting cord 5 shown in Fig. 1, or may be employed to directlysupport an electric light bulb 26, as in Fig. 2. Such showin is deemedsuflicient to indicate that the soc ets may be used for any urpose forwhich electric sockets or receptacFes are commonly used.'

The improved socket is susceptible of use in'the same manner as anordinary electric socket, that is, it may be used to feed electrlctransmitting devlces without control at the socket, asin the showing ofFig. 1, or'

with control at the socket, where the latter is of the type containing aswitch within the socket, as in Fig. 2.

It is often desirable, however, to be able .to controlthe flow ofcurrent through the socket from some distant point too far away from thesocket to permit the'use of a key switch or a chain switch. With thedevice of this lnvention, a distant controlled switch, such as theswitch 25, may have its plug 17 introduced, through the side or otherpart of the socket, into the chamber 11 to separate the spring fingers13 and 14 and bring them 1nto good electric contact with the springfingers 19, whereby the control switch is electrically interposedbetween the fingers 13 and 14 and is therefore included in thecorresponding side of the circuit. If the switch 25 be open, no currentwill flow through the socket to the translating" device controlled bythe socket, but if the switch 25 be closed toward each other untilfurther movement is ,trol the circuit though the customary switchordinarily in the socket. The invention has the advantage over wall orother fixed switches in that the switch 25 is readily portable to anyposition, since the conducting cord 24 may be as long as desired and isof a flexible nature. Furthermore it is frequently desirable to be ableto control an electric light or other translating device from atemporary location, in which case the switch 25 will answer the purpose.Nor need the switch 25 be constantly coupled up in the circuit, becausethe plug 17 is readily separable from the socket at any time. The switch25 when attached to the socket is in series therewith but on itsdisconnection from the socket the latter is restored to the condition ofan ordinary socket so far as its electrical connections are concerned.

\Vha't is claimed is 1. An electric socket or receptacle having meansfor the inclusion of the socket in an electric circuit, means for theattachment of a translating device to the socket, interior circuitconnections with accessible circuit terminals having a normal tendencyto close the circuit through the socket, a plug with circuit terminalsintroducible into the socket to engage the accessible circuit terminalstherein and separate them to divert the circuit through the plug withthe latter in series with the socket or receptacle, flexible conductorsconnected to the plug, and a distant switch connected to the flexibleconductors.

2. An electric socket or receptacle having means for the inclusion ofthe socket in an electric circuit, means for the attachment of atranslating device to the socket, interior circuit connections includingspring fingers having a normal tendency to contact, said socket beingprovided at one side with an opening through whichthe spring fingers areaccessible from the outside of the socket, a plug with spring fingersconstituting circuit terminals and introducible through the gagementwith the spring fingers in said socket, a flexible conducting cordconnected,

to the terminals of the plug, and a switch fast to the end of the cordremote from the socket.

3. An electric socket or receptacle having interior circuit connections,spring fingers within the socket and included in the circuitconnections, sald fingers havmg a normal tendency to engage and saidsocket having an opening at one side through which the spring'fingersare accessible from the can terior of the socket, and a plug providedwith adjacent sprmg fingers, and a tapered ceiving the terminals of atranslating device and provided with through connections having normallyengaged, separable circuit termlnals, and an exterior switch means,circuit terminals separate therefrom, and flexible connections betweenthe last named circuit terminals and the switch means, whereby the saidlast named circuit tennin-als may be introduced into the socket for thecontrol of the circuit within the socket at will by the switch or theswitch may be wholly removed without interference with the electriccontinuity of the socket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signa- 25 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MATTISON DAVIS. Witnesses:

ISRAEL DOEBEN, OLA SPARKS.

